metro/
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Seoul
South Korea
On July 24, 2009, the 50/50 joint venture Veolia Transport - RATP Asia started operating Line 9 of the Seoul metro.
The new line will ease traffic in this urban area, one of the world's most densely populated at 22 million people. The company won the 10-year contract in 2007. It was the first metro line operating contract to be awarded to a private-sector company in Seoul.
Line 9 is 25,5 km long and totally underground. It crosses Seoul, linking the Gangnam district in the southeast to Gimpo Airport, located to the west of the city. It has 25 stations and is expected to carry 760,000 passengers a day by 2013.
The contract was signed by concession holder SML9 (Seoul Metro Line 9), to which the Seoul Metropolitan Government awarded the construction and the operation of the new line, and Seoul Line 9 Operation Limited, an operating company owned 80% by the Veolia Transport - RATP Asia and 20% by Hyundai-Rotem.
Line 9 was designed to be an operating model, by combining local and express services, and a model for quality of service. 580 people were hired and trained for Line 9, which will eventually be opened from 5 30 am to 1 am.
